21
by raileht
Summary: Will makes an effort to make things better between him and Diane. *friendship*
1. Chapter 1

**21**  
>by: Raileht<p>

**Disclaimer:** The ones you don't know are mine, the ones you do aren't.  
><strong>Rating:<strong> T, to be safe.  
><strong>Summary:<strong> Will makes an effort to make things better between him and Diane.

**Spoilers/Timeline:** Post _Great Firewall._

**Pairings:**  
>FRIENDSHIP – Diane and Will<br>FRIENDSHIP – Alicia and Kalinda (cameos)  
>WARPED and DENIED FRIENDSHIP –<br>Julius Cain and David Lee (cameos)

**Warning:** Just my usual brand of crap.

**Taken from:**  
>21 Phrases to Use to Help You FIGHT RIGHT with Your Sweetheart <em>by <em>Gretchen Rubin

**-o0o0o0o0o-**

PART ONE:

**I - II - III**

_"Are we seriously doing this again?"_

_"Yes! We are!"_

_"Oh, come on, Diane!"_

David Lee stood outside the office of Diane Lockhart, making a face at the closed doors and the drawn blinds. He turned to her assistant, Annie, who seemed completely unbothered by the voices that kept coming from within the room, "Are they doing this _again_?"

The younger woman nodded, "Yes, Mr. Lee. Miss Lockhart and Mr. Gardner are…discussing a few things about the Ryder case."

"Oh, god," David rolled his eyes obnoxiously then glanced at Will Gardner's assistant Kate who was seated a few feet away, looking just as unbothered as her officemate, "Why don't you people just lock them up together until they stop trying to rip each other's heads off?"

"They've been locked in that room for a while now, sir," Annie said with a slight shrug, "It's been pretty much the same."

The man groaned, "Ugh. I did not sign on as name partner to be the _grown up_. I'm going back to my office. Please let me know when they're done…if that's even possible."

Annie suppressed the smile that threatened to appear on her face, studiously ignoring the giggles that escaped Kate's lips. It was true that their respective bosses had been fighting for the better part of the day, but to have David Lee, the new third partner, come in and actually _seem_like the mature one out of the three of them was indeed as sight.

This would surely be a topic of discussion during lunch the next day and they were quite positive the other girls would be jealous they didn't get to witness this moment. David being less obnoxious and actually seeming _normal_ was a rare thing that tended to happen once in a blue moon, it was possible the others wouldn't believe this actually happened.

Glancing at the door again, Annie shrugged and continued with her work.

Inside, the two partners continued to _discuss _things.

-o0o-

"You'd think now that Bond's gone they'd be friendlier with each other."

Kalinda Sharma looked over at Alicia Florrick, looking through the glass walls of the offices, watching with slightly piqued interest as she watched the two partners hash it out in Will Gardner's office. She shrugged, "They don't have a common enemy anymore."

"So they can't just stay at peace like when Bond was still around?" Alicia Florrick asked, genuinely curious. Internally, she marveled at the fact that she _almost_ missed the former third partner's presence. Then, she mentally slapped herself for the thought.

"No, not really," the other woman shrugged, "They were pretty much the same when Stern was still around."

"Why?"

A ghost of a smile grazed the woman's features, "They like to fight."

Alicia rolled her eyes, "No, really."

"They just fight a lot," Kalinda answered, tapping a few keys into a laptop easily. "It's…a _thing _they have. Look, I'm almost inside the server…this should get you the exclusionary evidence you need."

"Thank you," the brunette replied distractedly, glancing at Will's office again though she tried not to appear like she was obviously staring. They were both still at it, obviously arguing though it _looked_ as if they've actually managed to stop yelling. "I don't get it."

Kalinda shrugged, "I don't think you're supposed to."

-o0o-

Julius Cain fought the temptation to roll his eyes when the doors to his new office blew open and David Lee stood there, looking incredibly unhappy. He shook his head and went back to finishing the rest of his notes for a case. The firm was still on the going paperless route, but Julius was still very much open to using Post-its now and again.

"They're doing it again."

He looked up, not bothering to hide the fact that he wasn't pleased with being disturbed. Of all the three partners, David was still the one he was struggling to get a good rhythm with, "What?"

"_Them_," David said, as if that explained things. "They are doing it _again_."

He frowned, wondering if the other man was trying to wind him up then remembered.

In the past few weeks after Bond's departure, David had made some form of habit out of coming into his office—without knocking—and barging in, complaining about his other two name partners and about the constant fighting.

Being that the first time he came to the firm and ended up under Diane in litigation, it didn't take him long to notice her somewhat interesting, if not slightly twisted, relationship with Will Gardner. Even way back then, Jonas Stern proved to be the partner who seldom reported to the office so Julius had been granted better access to Diane and, due to the positioning of the offices, Will as well.

Will had been pleasant enough, seeming every bit the man he had imagined him to be—young, confident, intense and, naturally, a born ladies' man. He was nice and didn't seem as formal as Diane, but Julius had chalked that up to the fact that he was the 'young partner' and left it at that.

Then he saw them fight.

Pleasantness flew out the window as he took in the darkened features on Will's face and initial demureness of Diane's movement disappeared when tempers began to flair. Julius had been right in the eye of the storm after unwittingly ending up in _between_ the two partners when Will came charging into her office one day. It wasn't hard to miss the sharp glares they threw or their lack of hesitation in throwing words and the seamless way they went into verbal combat with each other.

The fighting initially made him curious, wondering if perhaps there was _something_ between the two, but that theory flew out the window as well when he saw the parade of women that tended to be seen on Will's arm and the select few—he later found out Diane preferred to separate work and play—male visitors that were so obviously not clients that came to Diane's office. He also noticed that his female boss and mentor had a certain type and he concluded that _that _didn't seem to include Will or his age group.

Not that it stopped them from flirting though, which made the whole thing seem twisted too although there were other reasons for Julius to think that as well.

In time, he got used to the two fighting and had even managed to learn how to tune them out. It was curious how the two seemed to fight as well as they could make up. They could be hissing and spitting at each other all day then come back to the office the next, laughing, teasing and flirting as if nothing had happened. It was almost twisted, but it seemed to work for them and Julius learned not to care.

So now, Julius barely batted an eyelash at the situation. David had been spending most of his years working in his corner of the building, a little away from the partner's main offices so he wasn't surprised that now that David was one of _them_, he was just becoming aware of just how well and how much Diane and Will could fight. Julius was more than sure he'd heard of the gossip and rumors whenever the two fought, but he could guess David hadn't _seen_ them fight as much.

Not that he cared, he thought somewhat pettily. That's what he gets for building his own little kingdom in the office with his slew of divorce attorneys, separating himself from what was happening within the firm.

"It's how they do things," Julius shrugged, unfazed. "Will pissed off Judge Wannamaker and Diane has a case to present with him in three days. She was already worried about Wannamaker being his usual delightful self, Will's version of delight added to the mix isn't going to make things any easier."

"So screaming at each other is the main solution?"

"They'll work it out," he answered, still not looking at the other man, "Eventually."

"And in the meantime…?"

"You get on with your life," Julius said simply, "And wait until they're done."

"And when's that going to be?" David said with that usual childish tone in his voice.

"Diane's pretty pissed," the younger man shrugged, "She and Wannamaker have never gotten through a trial without her being tempted to throw something at him."

"Is it because he's a Republican?"

"Don't know but from what I've seen, it's mostly on his side," he shrugged, "Wannamaker just likes winding her up. He even smiles just to set her off."

"And Will just pissed the guy off. Great."

"Yeah…this one might last a while."

David rolled his eyes, throwing his hands in the air and turning away with an obnoxiously loud declaration, "How did this firm even last this long?"

Julius smiled sarcastically, "Your guess is as good as mine."

-o0o-

"Kate?"

The blonde entered the room with an inquisitive look on her face, "Yes, Mr. Gardner?"

Will held up a piece of paper, "Where did this come from?"

Kate crossed the room, taking the paper from his hand and reading it briefly before raising her eyebrows, "I'm not sure. Where did you find it?"

"On my desk," he answered, frowning. "Did someone come in here without you knowing?"

"Of course not," she answered, "Maybe it fell out one of the files?"

Will looked at his desk and at the stack of things that were waiting for his signature, "Maybe."

Kate smiled, "Okay then. Anything else?"

"Yeah," he nodded, taking the paper back, "Could you remind Mr. Jude's people he's got a deposition he actually needs to appear for tomorrow? He keeps pretending to miss schedules, I don't think another delay will do him any good. Judge Harris already gave us a warning."

His assistant nodded, "I'll get right on that."

"Thanks," Will said distractedly as he sat down, staring at the piece of paper in his hands.

"Mr. Gardner?"

"Yeah?"

The corners of the blonde's lips curled up, "I know this isn't really my place to say but…you might wanna try a few things on that list."

"On who?" he said, raising an eyebrow. It wasn't a secret that he was currently single at the moment after a rather amicable break up with Tammy.

"Well," the younger woman broke into a grin, glancing behind her to make sure they were alone and to check out who was present in their area at the moment. Once she was satisfied she turned back to him again, the grin remaining in place, "Miss Lockhart."

Will's eyes grew wide, "Seriously?"

She shrugged, "I've got the book. I've used a few things on that list with my fiancée…seemed to work."

"But we're not…" he waved a hand, "You know, a couple."

"No," she shook her head, "but you fight like one."

"We do," Will repeated, curious.

"Yeah," Kate answered, "Besides, would it hurt to try? It's either that or couple's therapy."

Will groaned.

"Exactly," the blonde smiled, laughter clear in her eyes before heading out. "Back to work, boss."

He watched her go, an eyebrow raised and waited until she shut the doors behind her before looking at the list again and wondered if she had a point.

Would it really hurt to try?

-o0o-

The mystery paper left on Will's desk read:

_Almost all couples fight; the secret is to __fight right__._

_When the Big Man and I are arguing, I find that the single best technique to apply is HUMOR. If one of us can laugh and joke around, the crabby mood lifts instantly. But during an argument, it can be hard to see the funny side of things._

_Failing that, here are twenty-one phrases that help turn down the heat of anger. _

Will looked over the list again, curious.

Maybe his assistant had a point.

-o0o-

_"Please try to understand my point of view." _

Two days later, they're fighting again and this time, he's pretty sure it's her fault, but by the way she's arguing, even he is tempted to believe it's not hers. This time, they're in the conference room and for what could be the millionth time, he wondered just who was the genius behind the idea of making the conference room consist mostly of glass—he wasn't entirely too fond of having the entire firm witness him getting a verbal whipping.

"I honestly don't see why—" Diane was saying just as his mind wandered back to the list.

And since this was a lesson on trying to _fight right_, whatever the hell that means, Will was desperate enough to try out this little experiment.

He held up a hand, "Diane?"

"What?" she snapped, cheeks looking a little red and her eyes glaring so harshly, he was amazed he was still standing. She did not like being halted mid-rant.

"Please try to understand my point of view," he recited, though he tried to make it even more effective by adapting a more sincere tone. He forced himself to stay calm and relax his posture, one appeasing hand staying in between them while the other dangled limply after he made sure he unclenched his hand.

Diane stopped, leaning back a little with her eyebrows raised in surprise. She'd been expecting him to argue back, maybe even yell—Will was _such_ a yeller—but not _this_.

"Please," he said again, "I'm not saying it's not reasonable, but _please_?"

He gave her time, watching amazed as the iciness that had begun to form in her eyes begin to actually melt and he had to force himself not to visibly react. Her defensive posture began to gradually grow into a more lax state as she let out a sigh, "Fine."

Will tried not to let the urge to laugh get the best of him and manage an easy smile, "Really?"

"Yes," she said, though she still seemed reluctant. "But I swear, Will..."

"I know, I know," he said, smiling even wider as she turned away from him, gathering her things from the table and heading out.

Will watched her go, slipping his hands into his pockets with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Wow."

-o0o-

_"You've convinced me." _

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Are we really arguing like children?" Diane growled though even she was surprised with herself at how they were arguing. They were lawyers for god sake, did they really just stumble into some playground worthy method of arguing? God, this was bad.

"Well, you started it," Will shrugged.

"Real mature," she said simply, crossing her arms over her chest. If he was going to insist arguing like a child, she was going to have to change her tactics. "You said we would talk about this."

"No, I said a warning of a no," he pointed out, seemingly determined to stand his ground. "_You_ said we'll talk about it later."

"No, I said let's not fight and _you_said you would think about it."

"I have," he said, shrugging. "And I am saying no."

"Do you really want to bring David into this?" she said, glaring slightly. "I want Cary back in here!"

"We can bring David into this," Will nodded, "But the question is, will he care?"

"He will," she said confidently, "If I talk to him."

Will stared at her, "Nice."

"Why won't you let me bring him back?" she said, her ire showing once again. "He was a good associate and he's doing a great job in the State's Attorney's office! He's grown so much. I want him here. We can capitalize on his talent, I can make him better."

"Oh, now we're going the mentor route?" he snorted.

She glared, "Remember the case with Murphy Gomez's son?"

Will rolled his eyes, "Don't remind me."

"He had you spinning in circles, Will," she smirked a little, her pride for her protégé leaking. "Getting that mother to fire you _and_ getting Hobson to represent the girlfriend?" She shook her head, her glee showing now. "That's something_ you'd_ do, Will, but he got that one past you."

"If I remember, you were in on that case too," Will frowned.

"Yes, but you were the lead," she smiled pleasantly, "You and Alicia. Besides, I wasn't exactly too thrilled about a lot of things at that time, right?"

"Don't remind me," Will repeated, a dark shadow passing over his face. "I don't want to rehash that."

"Then we won't," she said simply, "Come on, Will, he's _good_ and you know it. He could be a very good asset to the firm."

"I don't like him."

"Because he reminds you of you?"

"No," Will scowled. "He's too sure of himself."

"Like you," she smiled, "Remember when we first met?"

"You kicked my ass in court."

"But you put up a good fight, for an associate," she pointed, "I want him back, Will."

"Why?"

She stopped, "Because he's worth it…and he's undervalued where he is."

"He's not. He's been getting a lot of good cases against us," Will rebutted.

"No, he's been getting cases that _are_ against us," she corrected, "And that's what they're doing with him—using _him_ against _us_. This can only last so long until they just toss him aside."

Will groaned, "Why do you care so much?"

"Why do I have to keep repeating myself?" she groused. "I am _not_ asking for too much Will."

"You kind of are," he replied, "We're just getting the firm back to how we want it…we can't let another one in."

"For Cary, we can."

"Diane…"

"You owe me," she blurted out before she could stop herself.

"What?"

"You owe me," she repeated again, raising an eyebrow at him. "Remember? We originally wanted _just_ Cary because even back then, _we_ knew he was good. He came from excellent schools, he was at the top of his classes, he was part of the Innocence Project and was a member of the Peace Corps. He was the best we saw, Will…until Alicia came to you."

He glared at her a little, "That's not the same."

"It is," Diane insisted, "Originally, _this_ was Cary's job. It was _solid_. There was never any intention to hire another associate."

Will stared at her for a moment before shaking his head, "I want to talk to him first."

"No," she shook her head, "We hire him back then you can talk to him."

"Are you hiding something?" he frowned at her.

"No, I just know you'll try something to make him _not_ want to sign back in here," she gave him a sarcastic smile. "I know you."

"How can you even think of accusing me of something like that? Me?"

Diane laughed, "That might work on your pretty co-eds, Will, but remember who you're talking to."

"Fine," he waved his hand dismissively, "You've convinced me. We can bring him back."

-o0o-

_"How can I make this better?" _

"We need to talk."

Diane looked up, eyebrows raised then nodded as soon as she saw the look on his face. He closed the doors behind him before entering further into her office and seating himself from across her.

"David is driving me insane."

She stared at him before a slow smile spread on her face. "That's what you want to talk about?"

"Yes," he nodded grimly. "He keeps bugging Julius and Julius keeps bugging me and whenever he wants something he comes to me. Those two are suppose to be your buddies, why aren't they going to you?"

"Because I told Julius that I will take him off as head of litigation if he complains to me about David more than twice per week," she answered. "And David? Well, he doesn't like it when I'm upset."

Will glared, "How sweet of him…"

She smiled, obviously delighted, "I know, right?"

"And Julius actually thinks you'll demote him?"

"Because I will," she nodded, "The last straw was sending four complaints about David in one day. It's not my fault they can't get along and they're big boys. The can fix it themselves."

"So why do they keep coming to _me_?" Will said, clenching his jaw.

She shrugged, "Because you keep letting them through your doors."

"I don't like dealing with this, it's stupid," he sighed, rubbing the side of his face, "What do I do? Lock my doors? Tell them they're not allowed it? I tried with David, he kept coming."

Diane nodded, thinking for a moment, "You can always try and get a guard dog."

"Like Justice?" he smirked, glancing at the small furry thing on her couch, fast asleep and completely content.

She chuckled, "No. David likes Justice."

Will stared at her, "David."

"David Lee," she nodded.

"No, I mean…" he stopped, tilting his head to the side, "You call him David."

"Well, that is his name…"

"No, but…" the corners of his lips curled up, "Are you seeing David Lee?"

Her eyes grew wide, "What?"

Will couldn't help but laugh, "Oh my god, are you?"

"I AM NOT!" she growled, her pleasant mood gone. "What kind of a stupid question is that?"

"Well, you're so buddy-buddy with him!" he said, laughing. "I couldn't help but wonder and—"

"How dare you!" she growled, suddenly furious as she stood up. "Just because _you_ can't stop lusting over _every skirt_ that passes you by—"

"Hey, that's mean," he pointed out but she silenced him with a look.

"—doesn't mean I can't have a completely _platonic_ friendship with a man!"

Will swallowed slightly, worried now. He hadn't meant to set her off. The thought of her seeing David Lee just flashed briefly in his mind after hearing all the things she was saying about him.

"I mean, my god!" she threw her hands up, "Seriously, Will? David, of all people!"

"Okay, okay," he said, standing as well as he attempted to calm her. "I'm sorry. That was stupid. I'm sorry."

"For a brilliant lawyer, you're such an idiot sometimes," she sniped.

"Ouch," he drawled, "Okay, calm down. I'm sorry."

"I mean, of all the inane things—"

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "How can I make things better?"

"You can start by getting out," she growled a little.

"Okay," he nodded, heading towards the door.

"And you know what?" she called after him.

"Yes, dear?" he sing-songed, standing with his back to her because he wasn't sure if he could stop the smile that would not leave his face, "Anything else?"

"You can deal with David and Julius by yourself!"


	2. Chapter 2

**IV – V – VI**

"_I can see you're in a tough position."_

Will watched Diane pace in her office, walking like a caged cat from one end to another. He had his steepled fingers on his chin, his eyes dark and jaw tense. All in all, there wasn't much to be tense about but watching her was making him _feel_ tense. The undue clenching and unclenching of her hand wasn't helping either.

"Diane…"

"I don't know how this could have happened," she grumbled, walking back and forth without fail. He wondered for a moment how she wasn't tired yet, walking in those ridiculously high heels. Thanks to a certain night he wanted to forget during pledge week, he knew just how painful walking in high heels could be and he'd only done it for half a mile. What more for her wearing them all day?

"It's not that big of a deal, we—"

"It _is _a big deal," Diane groused, facing him with a just touch of desperation on her face. "I thought it would work, I thought—"

"It _did _work," he pointed out, "Kemp was found not guilty. He got the acquittal. You should still be celebrating. How long did this one last, three months?"

Two hellish months, he thought darkly. Diane had been hired by Edward Kemp, a wealthy and well known realtor who insisted he was innocent. A man had tried to held him up, but he'd fought him, managing to grab the gun and had shot him in self-defense right in the chest. The evidence was shaky and the police were intent on getting the local celebrity, but Diane had pushed for it after the client insisted he was not taking the deal that was being given by the state.

Kemp was going to hang for murder one, as promised by the prosecutor, and had offered them voluntary manslaughter. He refused and insisted going to court so Diane fought for the case.

And now, here they were where they should still be celebrating two days later because not only did they help an innocent man walk free, but he'd decided to bring his business in to the firm.

But Diane was in no mood to celebrate.

"It's unethical," she insisted, stopping right where he was seated in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "It's…god, this is insane."

"You didn't do anything wrong," he said. "Come on, just ignore it. It will go away."

"Do you see that?" she pointed to the bouquet that displayed twelve perfect roses, long stemmed and exquisitely arranged. The card dictated that it came from one of the best, not to mention most expensive, flower shops in the city. "That's _not _going away, Will."

"You have to admit," he tilted his head sideways, "They are pretty."

"You're not helping," she snapped. "This is unethical…it's-it's insane."

Will smirked, "You said insane already."

"Because it is."

"The case is done, I think you're free to accept flowers now," he said, nodding towards the bouquet again.

It had made quite a commotion when it arrived at the office and Will _saw _with his own two eyes how women sighed and cooed when the messenger made his way through the offices. He never quite knew just how flowers could affect women, but now that he's seen for himself, he wasn't ever going to complain buying them now, not if he could get women to react like that.

He glanced at Diane then thought, it was just too bad that the flowers to whom they were intended wasn't reacting that way thought, which he found odd, "I thought you like flowers."

"I do," she said, crossing her arms over her chest and sitting down on the seat just next to his, "I just don't like them when it risks me losing my license."

"You're being melodramatic," he sighed. "They're flowers, Diane, not money under the table."

"It's got to be unethical," she puffed.

"What's really the problem here?" he asked, curious. Diane liked flowers, someone good looking, rich, single and not pompous sent her flowers. What was wrong here?

"Excuse me, have you _not _been listening?" she snarked. "Someone from the jury sent _me _flowers. Isn't that some form of a problem?"

"No," he shrugged. "Not really. The case is done, you didn't have prior contact, you didn't have contact _during _the trial and you didn't do anything."

"Well, technically, that's a lie," she pointed out. "I pegged him, Will, from the beginning and I…used him."

Will chuckled, "It's strategy, Diane. Sure it's manipulation, but we've done worst, remember?"

She turned to him, staring at him for a moment, "You know, I am _amazed _that you can sit there and declare a claim like that without an ounce of guilt or shame or…something."

He grinned, "Aw, come on, Diane. It's a job."

"You're a little too good."

"That's why I'm the boss," he teased, "Besides, so are you. You got an innocent man out of prison."

"Well, forgive me if I'm not too keen on taking compliments right now," she huffed, pushing off the seat and heading towards the flowers. Her long elegant fingers traced one perfect petal, staring at it for a moment as she caressed the velvety texture before shaking her head, "I'm going to ask Annie to send them back."

Will stared after her as she headed towards the doors, "Why?"

"I already said why!" she said over her shoulder just as she reached the double doors.

"No, Diane," he said seriously, putting that tone in his voice he knew would get her to see reason. It was the voice he used whenever he needed her to listen to him and she usually did. He was relieved when she stopped, both hands on the handles of the door but she seemed frozen on the stop, if only for the moment. "What am I missing here?"

"Will…"

"No, seriously," he stood up, buttoning his jacket as soon as he was standing and walking towards her. "What's the problem, Diane? You don't get worked up about something as little as this. There's something else."

"No, there isn't," she kept her back to him, "It's wrong, Will."

"So you pegged him," Will sighed, "We got the information—recently divorced, had a faithful relationship with his wife for fifteen years before she decided to divorce him. He was vulnerable, yes, and you picked up on that and you used it to help your _innocent _client. You manipulated him, but you did it for a man who didn't deserve what was happening to him."

Diane sighed, flinching slightly at herself when she remembered the things she'd done in court. She'd kept eye contact with the man after finding out the things Kalinda had managed to dig up. He was a lonely restaurateur with a wife who was shacking up with a man half her age and a son that was now all grown up and independent. She gave him attention, made him feel like she was speaking to him at times and even went as far as drawing attention to the collar of her silk blouses and other suits whenever she felt his eyes on her. It was manipulation and she'd done a hell of a job and for a while, it did feel good.

Until her assistant brought the flowers in.

She hadn't meant to lead him on that far and yes, to her, that was still unethical, having contact with a jury member so soon after a trial. Then again, not that she hadn't done anything to make him think she was serious—she basically did everything _but _ask him out.

But that was for the case.

"Is this just guilt for leading him on or is there something else?" Will asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"I just feel bad for him, that's all," she mumbled, turning to face him. "His wife is out there with the pool boy and he's basically lonely. He's a rich guy, Will, we know that…he could have gotten out of this jury duty easily, but he didn't. What does that tell you?"

"That he's not that smart?"

"Will."

"That he follows the law and his duties to his country?"

"I'm being serious," she gave him a look.

Will stared at her for a moment, taking the sadness he hadn't quite noticed earlier. There was sadness on her face, even though she tried to hide it but it was showing. For a moment, he thought it was because she felt bad for her new admirer, but something else stuck to him, "Oh, god."

"What?" she asked, her eyes growing wide for a moment.

"It's not him," he said, standing right in front of her and somehow, even though there wasn't much difference in their height, he felt as if she was shrinking away from him. "It's Kurt, isn't it?"

"Wha—_Excuse me_?" she sputtered as her eyes grew wide again. "What's he got to do with this?"

"Where is he anyway?" Will went on as if she hadn't spoken, "You were doing so well together when you represented him and yes, I _know _about your little thing during recess and—"

"He has _nothing _to do with this," she cut him off. "Honestly, Will, what goes on in that head of yours—"

"Are you seeing him?" he asked, relentless. Something was clearly bothering her and she'd been pushing the same number of hours in the firm per week. If she was seeing someone, he would rightly assume she'd be working less overtime. "What happened with Kurt?"

"_Nothing_," she practically snarled, "I don't question you about your relationships, Will, so don't question me about mine. There's a line we don't cross."

"I'm not asking if you're marrying the guy, Diane," Will pointed out. "I'm just asking what's going on with you two. I mean, you two surprisingly got on together well."

"That is none of your business," she pushed past him, heading towards her desk.

"Did you break up or something?"

She stopped, right in the middle of the room and Will almost felt bad when she hung her head.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly though sincerely, "I just thought…you two looked like you were okay, I assumed you got together after the case."

There was a heavy silence in the room before she broke it, "Not that it's any of your business but…"

"It's not, I'm sorry," he mentally kicked himself for opening the door.

"…he left," Diane said before heading to her desk and he watched as she visibly squared her shoulders, passing by the bouquet on her coffee table and ignoring it completely.

"Okay," Will nodded after a moment, watching her as she rounded her desk and took a seat, her demeanor cool though her movements were rigid. "I…I'm sorry."

"It was a mutual decision," she said dismissively. "Now, I have a case pending, please close the door behind you when you leave."

He nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets and turning towards the door as he had been dismissed, but he stopped, just as he reached them. He decided there was still something important that needed to be said, "I can see you're in a tough position…"

"Will."

"But if it helps," he glanced at the flowers, "Christopher Drake seems like a good guy. You don't have to date him now or anything, but give him a call and thank him for the flowers."

She let out a loud sigh and snapped, "Will!"

He nodded, "I don't know what happened with you and Kurt, but just listen…it's his loss and you can't just let this guy walk away just because _he_ flaked, okay? Think about it."

Diane watched him go and waited until the doors were closed soundly before shaking her head, cradling her head in her hand and couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face. For all the pain he was, Will could be sweet when he wanted to be, she thought as her smile grew just a little more.

Then her eyes drifted towards the perfect roses on her coffee table.

-o0o-

"_I overreacted, I'm sorry."_

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Asking for a trade off."

"Excuse me? We're talking about people here, right?"

"Yes, we are and stop pretending we haven't done this before," Diane said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I want Cary on my case and I'm giving you Alicia for yours. I really think you should reconsider putting her in first chair on your case too."

"I can handle my own case fine, thank you," he said with a slight hiss to his tone.

"Don't get excited," she rolled her eyes, "I'm just saying. With Alicia, you can do so much better in a sexual harassment case. This is so basic, why are you even fighting this?"

"It's personal," he replied, "Patrick and I go _way _back."

"Yes, I know," she smirked, "During your frat boy days, but Will, I saw the evidence…it's pretty strong. You could lose this one."

"He didn't sexually harass her," he defended, "She's just mad because he wouldn't leave her for his wife!"

"She has him on tape yelling at her, Will," Diane pointed out, "He threatened her and there were obvious signs of a struggle—_in the office_."

"That was planted, he got set up," he pointed out. "He's innocent."

"How are you proving that?" she raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him, "And how did that set up go exactly? She just got him to go off and start grabbing her?"

"I can handle this on my own," he ground out, glaring at her

She nodded, "But you still need Alicia on this one. Put her in first chair, Will. You need a woman's touch on this one."

"Why can't _you _do it?" he asked, standing up suddenly. "I asked you to do this, you wouldn't!"

"Because I'm up to my neck on the Calvin case," she answered. "I'd take it if I could, Will, you know that."

"I could have taken Calvin," he said harshly.

"I was already in Calvin when Patrick came in, Will," she sighed, "And I tried, remember? But Judge Tinsel wouldn't allow change of counsel since the case already began."

"How convenient for you," he sneered.

"Hey," Diane said with a warning tone to her voice. "Don't take this out on me. I'm on your side."

"No, you're not!" Will suddenly exploded, "_You _think he's guilty! That's why you don't want to defend him. You and your principles! You think he's not worth defending because you think he's some sort of pervert!"

"Will—"

"It's all right for you to defend rats like Matheson who likes killing homeless people just because he thinks they're too useless to live, but—"

"Will!"

"—get Patrick in here and you're so quick to judge!"

"Stop it!" Diane commanded, raising her voice higher than his as they stood toe to toe.

Will was breathing hard, his eyes burning and his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. He hadn't even been aware he had begun yelling and with the doors to his office wide open, he was pretty sure a lot of people in the vicinity had heard his little blowout.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, turning away from Diane and heading towards his couch. He plopped down, planting his elbows on his knees and pressing his forehead against his palms.

"This is eating you up," Diane said gently as she took a seat next to him, maintaining a small distance between the two of them but she was close enough to hear him breathe heavily in and out.

"He did it," Will said quietly, closing his eyes as he finally let the truth he had been steadily denying and ignoring for the last few weeks come out. "He…there was no affair. He _did _it."

"Did he tell you that or is that what you think?" she asked calmly.

"I _think _he did it," he clarified, mumbling into his own hands. "What am I gonna do?"

Diane breathed in, "Can you recuse yourself from the case?"

"And what do I tell Patrick?" he asked, straightening up and staring at her with weary eyes. "It won't look good to the jury and…Patrick won't let this go if I do."

"Then do what you do, Will," she said simply, "Defend your client to the best of your abilities. If he walks, he walks. If he gets charged then justice is served. Your duty is to your client."

"How textbook of you," he said with just a hint of sarcasm. "I can't get him on the stand."

"Understandable," she nodded. "But either way, Will, you're going to have to see this through like you always do."

"I don't want Alicia on this," he mumbled. "He's…I won't be comfortable."

She nodded, "I understand."

"He knew her, back in law school," he sighed, "He wasn't exactly discreet about wanting to sleep with her…and every other woman that crossed his path."

Diane smirked, "And out comes the truth."

He nodded, "I figured _you _could handle him better. You scare him."

She laughed, "Really?"

"The Townsend trial," he smiled a little, "He was fresh out of law school. You were already on the rise, but you were still with—"

"Crumble & Hartford," she said with a chuckle. "I forgot Patrick was the opposing counsel there."

"Well, he didn't," Will grinned a little. "You wiped the floor with him."

"I can come in and scare him a little, if you want," she offered with a sly smile.

"Nah," he laughed a little. "I'll talk to him."

"So, do I get Cary?" she asked, hopeful still. "We can get Prescott. Julius won't mind giving him up for a few days. I'll keep Alicia on Calvin—we have enough paperwork to go around."

Will nodded, "Prescott's the one from—"

"Orson & Associates," she nodded, "He shows promise. He might come in useful."

Will nodded, "Fine."

Diane stood up, "Call me…if you need me to scare Patrick."

He nodded, "Diane?"

"Yes?" she turned just as she reached his doors.

"I overreacted," he said, bravely. "I'm sorry."

She smirked, "You owe me."

"Drinks after work?"

She smiled, "Maybe tomorrow. I've got plans tonight."

Will smiled widely, "With whom may I ask?"

"You may not."

And with that, she was gone.

-o0o-

"What's going on here?"

Kalinda looked up, "What?"

"Both their doors are closed."

"Who?"

Alicia glanced out to the pen in front of her office, catching Amelia, one of the assistants, pass by with a tray containing three cups of coffee from Starbucks in one hand and a folder in the other, "Diane and Will."

"Why are you so curious about the two of them lately?" the Asian woman asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend. "Are you jealous?"

"What? Of course not," Alicia said, eyes wide in surprise as if she'd been told the most ridiculous thing in the world. "I'm just curious. I passed by there a while ago after getting almost roped into another divorce case."

"Okay," Kalinda nodded even though there was a ghosting smirk on her face, teasing Alicia because it was just too easy. "So what are you thinking?"

"That they're fighting again," Alicia shrugged, "They fight too much."

"And _you _have too much free time in your hands, don't you have a case?"

"You're still getting me my evidence, remember?" she glanced pointedly at the laptop that had so graciously invaded the space of her desk.

"Right," Kalinda nodded, "So, Diane and Will?"

"They fight a lot, for people who should be happy right now."

"Should be happy?" the other woman echoed, "Are they getting married?"

"No," Alicia rolled her eyes slightly, "It's just weird how they fight a lot…aren't they worried they might affect the firm or something?"

Kalinda smirked, "They're not. It's how they do things. You'll get used to it…I'm surprised you aren't already."

"Doors slamming, the screaming and sniping," Alicia shrugged, "Reminds me of my parents' divorce."

"Are you reliving the trauma of your childhood?" the younger woman teased slightly.

"No," Alicia answered with a slight frown though it was feigned.

"Too bad," she replied, shrugging. "We've got a therapist on retainer in the firm. You could get some free therapy, clear up those issues."

Alicia snorted in a very unladylike manner, "Yeah, right."

"It's a perk," Kalinda said simply, "Why not take advantage?"

"I'm not spending an hour talking about my feelings and why I have issues because of my mother."

"How Freudian of you."

Alicia scowled, "Take that back."

Kalinda smiled, "Dare you to make me."

-o0o-

"This was YOUR strategy!"

"No, it was a _suggestion_—no one said you had to take it!"

"You made it sound solid!"

"Because it _was_! How was I supposed to know Templeton had a previous assault charge?"

"Well, it's not like I had prior knowledge of that as well!"

"This is your case, you're the first chair! You should have talked to your client!"

"I can't force him to tell me _everything_, Diane!"

"Well stop taking it out on me! You asked for my opinion _basing _on facts _you _gave me and I did!"

"A hell of a lot of good it did me!"

"You know what? Fine! Don't _ever _ask for my opinion _again_!"

"Fine!

"Fine!"

"_FINE!"_

-o0o-

"Knock, knock."

"David? I'm-I'm busy. Would—"

"Hm, no you're not," David Lee hummed as he entered the room, "Nice little duet you had going in Will's office…you're both gifted, did anybody ever tell you that?"

"Gifted? At screaming and ripping each other's heads off?" the blonde smirked, "You betcha."

"What was that all about anyway?" he asked as he plopped himself on the seat in front of her desk meant for visitors, "Trouble in paradise?"

"Was it ever paradise around here?" she asked, seemingly serious a thoughtful expression passed over her face. She placed her chin on one hand, her elbow on her desk as she blinked lazily.

David tilted his head to the side, "With that crazy bastard Stern at the helm, a young, cocky but—I'm guessing and I'm pretty sure I'm right—secretly insecure Will in the wings plus the delightfully volatile _you_? I'd hardly think so."

"Ha," she made the sound sarcastically, "Nice work insulting the three of us in one shot."

"I'm good, I know," he grinned, folding his hands together in front of him. "So what was up with the Riot Act? Was that a play you prepared for the staff or are you guys just that fond of ripping each other apart?"

Her calm expression morphed into one of mild annoyance, "He asked for my advice on a case, I listened to the facts and gave my opinion…it would have worked had his client _not _had a previous assault charge."

"And your advice…?"

"Blew up in his face," she shrugged, "Prosecution blindsided them with an arrest from the client's records in California when he was a minor. He was seventeen and a few weeks shy of turning eighteen. He got into a tussle with a guard at a mall. It progressed into a brawl and he put the thirty-five year old in the hospital with a broken arm and a busted eye socket. Last I heard the jury looked ready to hang Templeton."

David shrugged, "Do you think Templeton really killed the man?"

Diane paused then slowly nodded, "I do…and that was before I knew about his history."

"Then that's it then," David clapped his hand twice before getting up. "The bastard's a bastard. Let him hang."

"Nice talk, _partner_," Diane said with a dry chuckle, unable to help herself. David had always been quirky and she never really minded.

David grinned raising his hand in a mock surrender, "I can't help myself—I'm a humanitarian."

"Who aides couples in ending their marriages?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

"_People_ in the marriages end things," he pointed out, gesturing with both hands as if presenting something grand. "I merely help speed the process to…healing, recovery and, if everything goes well, another hopeful shot at happiness in the future."

Diane couldn't help but laugh, "Wow, is that the bait that just keeps bring in those high paying clients of yours?"

The divorce lawyer grinned, "Oh, yeah. It's even printed on my business cards."

-o0o-

"_I realize it's not your fault."_

"Hey…"

She was just about ready to turn off the lights in her office when he stepped in. For a moment, she was tempted to play the spiteful bitch card and ignore him but she had turned to look at him when she hadn't meant to and saw the genuine remorse on his face as he stood at the threshold. He stood there, ever like a little boy waiting to be chastised and she had to force the smile that threatened to appear not to, not when she still needed him to grovel a little.

Will stood there, stripped of his jacket and left with his light pink shirt—a color she actually thought looked cute on him but would secretly make fun of on other men—with the arms messily rolled up to his elbows and an unruly tie. She knew him well enough to know he'd had to have been taking his frustrations out on that Hugo Boss creation and the thought of that almost made her smile again. Will could be cute when he was bothered, even if he always ended up looking less polished than when he started.

So Diane wasn't going to be spiteful when he was looking like that. Then again, not that it meant she was going to let him get away with today without at least an apology. He owed her that after that tantrum.

"You going home?"

She stopped, standing in the middle of the room with her purse in hand and her coat slung over one arm. She gave him a look, not entirely hostile, but it didn't lack sarcasm as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Okay," he nodded slowly, shoving his hands in his pockets. He was the picture of defeat with his slumped shoulders, turning around and heading towards his office.

"Will?"

He stopped, turning around again to face her, "Yeah?"

Diane tossed her coat onto her couch, followed by her bag and left them there. She walked towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him to move out of her way and headed towards the direction of his office.

She smiled at him over her shoulder, "You owe me a drink."

-o0o-

Diane eyed the bottle Will was pouring into the tumblers on his desk.

"Breaking out the big guns," she observed lightly as she sat with her legs curled underneath her with her lower back resting on the arm of his couch. She'd kicked off her shoes as a way of telling him that she was calm enough to welcome a comfortable night with him.

"I have some things to make up for," he said, his back on her. "Did you hear about Templeton?"

"Mhm," she hummed, nodding even though he couldn't see her. She rested her arm on the back of the couch, drumming her fingers silently against the cool leather. He should know she wasn't about to offer an apology when they both knew she hadn't done anything wrong, "It was a tough jury. He got lucky with voluntary manslaughter."

Will nodded, turning to her and handing her a tumbler with a nod, "Yeah." He took a sip as he sank into the chair across from her, letting his body sink into the cushions.

They both sat in silence, sipping scotch and letting the quietness that could only ever occur in the office at night. Diane was busy trying to clear her mind of the day's events and she guessed Will was most likely brooding over losing his case.

And she was right, for the most part, because at that moment, Will was also trying to figure out what to say to her as well.

They're both not sure how much time passes, but before either of them know it, both their throats are savoring the delicious lingering burn from their drinks and Will's getting up again for another round. He took her empty glass without a word and went back to pouring and his time, she didn't have to hide her smile when he had his back turned to her again.

"If I didn't know better," she began, smiling just a little more as she added a teasing tone in her voice, "I'd say you were trying to get me drunk."

Will turned to her, her tumbler half full once again with the same amber liquid, "You caught me."

She smirked, "Have I?"

He nodded, handing her the drink, "How am I doing so far?"

"Pretty damned good," she hummed. "But I'm not convinced yet."

He smiled a little, plopping himself back onto his chair, "I'm sorry for blowing up on you like that today…it was uncalled for."

Diane turned to him, taking in his sad eyes—the same ones he likes to use whenever he was in trouble with her and she assumes, the same one he uses with his women—the remorse on his face and the way he was slumped over. He didn't like losing and he tended to brood over it and she was sure the little tantrum of the day wasn't making things better.

"I realize it's not your fault," he went on, "So…yeah, that's it."

She continued to stare at him for a moment before nodding, "Okay."

"Okay?"

Diane smiled, "Okay…but you owe me another drink."

"Now who's trying to get who drunk?"

She smirked, "I can drink you under the table any day, Gardner and you know it."

Will chuckled, "Too well." They smiled at each other before taking another drink then he stopped, staring at her with his head tilted to the side, "So…you gonna tell me who you dumped me for last week?"

The blonde smiled mischievously, "None of your business."

"That smile begs to say otherwise."

"I have other friends too, Will," she said, "No need to get jealous."

"At least tell me who I'm jealous of," he played along. "Come on, you know you want to."

"Actually, no," she grinned, leaning her head sideways to rest on the cushion.

"Is it Drake?" Will grinned teasingly, "He picks good roses."

"Why the sudden fascination in my life?"

"Just trying to be a better friend, partner," he grinned, "So it really _was _Drake, huh?"

Diane smiled a little, tilting her head sideway and resting it on the cushion. She didn't say anything else as she swirled her drink in one hand.

Will smiled knowingly, "You're dating him."

"No," Diane answered, "We just meet up now and again for lunch or dinner…nothing's going on. We're just two people who…are trying to be friends."

"Really?"

"Really," she widened her eyes slightly to prove her point. "Men and women _can _be friends, Will."

"A load of crap, but okay," he shrugged. "Do what you will."

"Wow, thanks, Will," she said sarcastically, "I didn't know I needed permission from you, but thank you."

Will laughed, "Did I ever tell you I love your sarcasm?"

"Not yet."

"Well, I do."

"Of course," Diane said dryly, "As much as I love your tantrums, right?"

They looked at each other then laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

**VII – VIII – IX**

"Do you know Potter from Spalding?"

She thought for a moment, crossing one leg over the other, the skirt of her dress long enough for her not to worry about it riding up to the point of indecency. She had long ago abandoned her shoes on the floor and welcomed being the only ones left in the office so late in the night for it gave her enough freedom to at least breathe a little easier without worrying about appearing unprofessional or out of order.

"Blonde hair Potter or the tall one with that weird twitch?" she asked finally, unsure as to who exactly Will was referring to in the conversation. They'd slipped into the quiet again, but it seemed he was ready to chat now and, as was the usual nowadays, it seemed he'd picked talking about other law firms again.

With their streak of wins as of late, both in their cases as well as their inter-office battles, he'd been more open to do some mocking lately and she didn't mind. They were due for it anyway, considering the year they'd had. She could agree they deserved some good celebrating once in a while.

"The blonde one, Jeff," he said then began to laugh, "And I can't believe you just resorted to calling them blonde and 'the one with the twitch'. Very professional."

"I'm half in the bag, Will," she chuckled along, "You can't blame me for not caring enough to remember."

"Yeah, right," he continued to laugh, "Seriously, Diane, for your sake, I hope you don't end up calling the other one 'twitch' when you see him…you do know his name is Mitch, right?"

"Oh, right…Mitch with the twitch," her eyes opened, looking over at Will who roared with laughter at the rhyme, "I forgot! Mitchell Potter. _That's_ why I remembered the twitch!"

"I dare you to say that to his face," he egged, "Seriously, _Mitch with the twitch_. I'll pay big money ."

"Please!" she rolled her eyes, "He's a fifth year associate struggling to even try and make partner. I am _not_ about to make an enemy of him for no reason other than for your amusement. Pass."

"Oh, come on, don't be such a chicken!"

"I'm not being a chicken," she scoffed though she couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips, "I'm _being _decent. Now, what about…Jeff? He's a friend of yours, isn't he?"

"When we're not trying to kill each other, yeah," he nodded, "Anyway, we met up during lunch. He's working on a case…that mugging on the news a few months ago?"

"Mhm, the one Spalding has been lording over _me _the past few months," she nodded, rolling her eyes then proceeded to close them as she laid her head to rest sideways on the couch. "Couple got mugged, husband ended up dead? Got the suspect three days later…?"

"That one," Will nodded, "Guess who they just hired as an expert witness."

"Who?" she hummed, suddenly feeling the effects of the alcohol as the touch of drowsiness began to creep up on her and she knew it was almost time to call it a night.

"Kurt McVeigh," Will said simply though he watched her from the corner of his eye.

The traces of her good mood disappeared from her face and suddenly, she didn't feel quite as lightheaded and drowsy as before. She opened her eyes, bringing her empty glass in front of her and stared at the bottom of it. She soundlessly took a breath in and spoke with as much nonchalance as she could without sounding affected at the same time, "Oh?"

"Spalding's pretty sure the guy they arrested wasn't the one who did it," Will continued, pretending he hadn't noticed the change in her voice, "And Kurt's on board so I guess that means he agrees with him. Hasn't made the papers yet though, but it will…soon."

Diane nodded, realizing then what Will was doing. The case was going to be big, considering that the quick arrest had hit headlines then, with Kurt on board, it was going to do the same again, considering his reputation. Will was essentially preparing her for the onslaught, knowing that while it had nothing to do with the firm, there was no way she was going to miss the coverage even if she tried.

"Well, let's hope they're right then," she said simply, "And…that they catch the real killer."

Will nodded, "Yeah…should be interesting."

"It should," she nodded then she paused, "Now, I have a problem."

Will looked over at her, more than curious and a little surprised, "What?"

"I can see the bottom of my glass," she turned to him, smiling as she waved her tumbler at him.

He chuckled, reaching for the bottle himself, "Let me fix that then."

"Such a gentleman."

-o0o-

"Hey Will?"

He looked up from what he was writing, surprised to see Alicia entering his office. He hadn't spoken to her as of late, considering she'd been spending most of the last three days working with Diane on a class action they were putting together. He put his pen down, "Hey, what's up?"

"Uhm, nothing," she glanced behind her, as if checking to see if anyone else could hear them, "I was just wondering…is everything okay with Diane?"

"Diane?" his brow furrowed, "I'm not sure, why?"

"Well, we've been working on that class action…" Alicia began, fidgeting a little as she tried to hide her discomfort, obviously unsure of what she was doing, "And I noticed that Diane's been a little…" she trailed off, tilting her head slightly to the side, "I mean, she's just…she's been-er, I mean, Diane's been…"

Will's frown grew deeper, "What? Diane's been…?"

"She's been acting a little…odd," Alicia finally said, gesturing slightly with her hand, "I mean, the class action's going great, we're getting a lot of things we need, but Diane's been acting a little differently. I was wondering if there was anything going on?"

"Different how?"

Alicia shrugged a little, "Well, she's been getting a little irritable lately and sometimes she gets, uhm, distracted by something. I'm not sure what. I mean, I'm not trying to tell or anything, but I was just wondering if maybe there's, er, something I could do?"

Will nodded, letting out a breath as he sat back on his seat, "Right. I get it."

"I just wanted to know if its me?" Alicia asked, looking a little worried herself. "I mean, if I'm the prob—"

"No, no," Will waved his hand slightly, "No, it's not you. There's something, but it's not you."

"Oh," Alicia said, relief evident on her face, "Then…what is it? I mean, she's obviously upset."

"It's nothing," Will said, remembering the conversation that he'd so casually had with his partner a few nights before. She'd been nonchalant and had been acting quite normally around him the following days, but she'd obviously been fooling him quite well.

Diane had convinced him quite well she that she truly didn't care and wasn't bothered, but if it had been enough to make Alicia come to him and wonder if it was her, then Diane obviously wasn't as unaffected as she'd led him to believe.

"Don't worry about it," Will said, reaching for his pen as he looked at Alicia, fiddling with it slightly, "I'll talk to her later and—"

"Oh, no, no," Alicia jumped in, looking alarmed all of a sudden, "I didn't mean to talk to her, I was just wondering and I was worried that—"

"I know," Will smiled a little, "Don't worry, you didn't tattle and I won't tell her it was you. I was expecting this. There's just…something that needs to be dealt with, that's all."

Alicia nodded, letting out a breath and gave him an easy smile, "Okay then…thank you."

"Thanks for coming to me with this," Will smiled, "And don't worry…I'll talk to her."

-o0o-

_"I could be wrong." _

"I'm busy."

He glanced behind him, checking for her assistant who was still out on the errand she'd been sent to. Will shrugged, deciding to brave it and went in anyway, closing the door quietly behind him and walking further into her office. By the time she looked up with that familiar annoyed look on her face, he was already in the process of seating himself in front of her desk.

Diane gave him a look that simply said she was not at all amused by his candor, her eyes shooting miniature daggers at him through her glasses, "Will."

"Hi," he smiled in an overly playful way, unbuttoning his blazer as he got comfortable.

"What do you want?" she asked, "I'm busy."

"I heard you," he said, smiling still. "But I thought I'd drop in…work's kinda slow."

"For you maybe," she said, rolling her eyes slightly, "But not me, in fact, I'm quite busy at the moment so please, whatever it is, make it quick."

"Yeah, that class action…how's that going?"

Diane let out a frustrated sigh, pulling off her glasses and looking at him, this time no longer making an effort to hide her annoyance, "What?"

"Just checking in," he said, shrugging.

"Will either get out or stop the games," she snapped, "I'm not in the mood."

"Ah, yes, your mood," he said airily, "That's a good topic. How's it been?"

"What?"

"How's your mood?"

"At the moment? Not good," she gave him a pointed look.

He faked a laugh, "Yeah, funny. No, seriously."

"Will, what is this?"

"I've been around," he shrugged, "And there are…a few people wondering about you. I heard you class action's going well, but apparently, your mood isn't."

"My mood is none of your business."

"Did you see the paper today?"

She rolled her eyes, "I've been busy."

"Oh, now, that right there," he pointed at her, "Is a lie."

"So I read the paper today, are you done?"

"I'm sure you saw what was on the news…" he began, waving his hand slightly, "That case with Spalding?"

"Yes," she gritted her teeth, "And yes, Will, I saw his name on the paper. What's your point?"

"Nothing, I'm just wondering if that's why you're in a mood."

"Who said I was in a mood?" she groused then stopped when he gave her an amused look. "Fine, I'm in a bad mood, but that has _nothing_ to do with the paper today. I'm busy. That's all."

"Yeah, like you being busy is anything new," he said sarcastically. "Now, _I_ could be wrong—"

"You are."

"Hear me out first?" he pretended to look offended, "Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted—" the look that could kill she gave him made him pause slightly "—_maybe_, just _maybe_, this mood you're in has something to do with his being in town…a few blocks away, working with Spalding."

She rolled her eyes, "Please, Will, this is not some teen afternoon special. I'm busy, go away."

"Do you realize that you haven't said his name at all?" Will asked suddenly, raising an eyebrow in her direction.

"What are you talking about?"

"Kurt," he shrugged, "You haven't said his name at all. You always use pronouns like he or—"

"I know what pronouns are and no, I do not," she ground out, "Now, Will, I'm not asking, I'm telling. Leave."

He knew he should leave, let her process things by herself. Will was well aware of the fact that while she wasn't _actually_ pining over Kurt McVeigh and the failed relationship—or whatever it was—she still thought about him now and again, which was understandable because Will was pretty sure Kurt had managed to reach a part of Diane nobody has been able to do so in a long time.

In fact, Will wasn't even sure if Kurt wasn't the first. Diane could be so guarded sometimes, imagining her opening up to someone _fully_ seemed more impossible than putting people in Mars. Then again, he thought, _something _had to have made her that way, be so guarded and private so maybe Kurt wasn't the first.

Bracing himself, Will tried to shrug noncommittally, pulling out his phone and began to press buttons. He would thank God everyday for cell phones and wireless internet. If he was going to do a standoff with Diane, he might as well catch up on the emails he'd been ignoring that day. Who knew if he would make it through the day? Diane was ready to kill so he might as well get his affairs in order before she did anything.

"What do you think you're doing?" Diane said finally after a moment, just as Will was ignoring an email from one of his old friends from law school. He was trying to avoid things like that for now, especially with what happened with Patrick. Nobody blamed him but certainly they didn't like seeing one of their old pals heading off to jail like that.

"Checking my messages," Will answered, distracted as he pulled out a message from Tammy. It was nice that she was still willing to give him free tickets. Why did they break up again?

"Do that in your office, go away," she tried to wave him off but he wasn't looking at her, "Shoo!"

"That's very professional," he mumbled though he was a little preoccupied with typing a quick reply, thanking her for the tickets and asking if she'd go with him to the game. She had to have a reason to give him _two_, right? Will wasn't against getting back together with her.

"Will, honestly! Get out!"

"In a minute," he mumbled, cursing under his breath when he accidentally pressed the wrong key and ended up typing _hjury_ instead of _jury_. "Parker from Tribe just asked what I think about the Cortland Case—did I mention his firm got that one?"

"I don't care!" Diane finally snapped, "Get out of my office, Will!"

"You know, you should _really_ consider getting a vacation," he suggested lightly, albeit a little distracted. "I can hold down the fort while you're gone and you can go somewhere pretty and—" he stopped when he caught sight of her getting up, "Hey! Where are you going?"

"Away from my _own _office!"

Will stood up, following her, "Aw, come on. Don't be like that!"

-o0o-

_"I see how I contributed to the problem." _

"Hey, those look nice."

Diane looked up from where she sat on her couch, giving Will a glare before turning back towards the flowers on her coffee table. Will raised his eyebrows slightly before closing the door behind him, taking a seat on the chair separate from the couch she was occupying and looked at the bouquet.

They were half a dozen of beautiful and perfect Casablanca lilies in a crystal vase and as Will took the display, he found himself wondering why she was in a bad mood. The flowers were lovely and considering how she was fingering a petal, it was quite obvious she liked it too.

"What's going on?" he asked after a moment, his curiosity no longer willing to let the silence continue. If she was mad at him, she would have said something already so he could guess if he was part of what put her in a dark mood, he wasn't the only one.

"We went out to that restaurant you suggested last night," she said finally, tearing herself away from the flowers and leaning back on the couch, crossing her arms over her stomach as she gave Will a stare. "You know, those reservations you insisted we take?"

"Bellini's, yes," Will nodded, "My friend owns the place. Excellent risotto."

He had recommended the restaurant the day before, insisting he would make the reservations after annoying her so much the day before with his prying. Diane had agreed to let him, if only to get him off her back after he promised not to talk to her about Kurt anymore.

She had left him in a huff, telling him he wasn't allowed in her office for the rest of the day and he had followed, popping in just once to let her know he'd got her a very good table for two and wished her a good night. She had forgiven him, allowing him a small smile before going back to work. He'd been sure she wouldn't really go, but his friend had confirmed she was there the night before with a friend and he'd been glad. He had hoped that would make her mood go away.

But from the way she was looking at him, it seemed his hopes had been crushed, considering she looked even more annoyed with him now compared to yesterday.

"What's wrong?" he asked, frowning a little, "Didn't you like it? You like Italian."

"I do," she nodded, "In fact, it was a very good place. My friend enjoyed it as well."

"I'm sure. I hear Drake's a fan of Italian food as well," he said offhandedly then stopped, his eyes widening slightly as he realized his mistake.

Storm clouds gathered in Diane's eyes, "Excuse me?"

"I mean," Will stopped, grinning slightly, "I…so, you liked the food?"

"William Gardner, were you spying on my dinner?" she asked, slowly.

"No!" Will said quickly, holding his hands up as if ready to ward off physical blows. "I swear I wasn't. Enzo just confirmed last night you were there and then he mentioned who you were with. I swear, I didn't _ask_, I just told him to tell me if you actually went. I was _not_spying. No. That would be…erm, stupid."

"Yes, that would be stupid," Diane said, gritting her teeth slightly then sighed, shaking her head then cradled her chin with one hand, her mood abating a little when she asked, "Is Chicago getting smaller?"

"No, why?" Will asked, relieved that she didn't seem to be thinking about roasting him after his explanation. If she was willing to overlook that, then something else had to have happened.

"We ran into someone last night, after dinner," Diane said, resigning herself to the fact that Will was the only one to vent on at the moment. Her friend Bethany was out of the country and god knew where she really was at the moment and she wasn't up to playing _Where's Waldo?_with her best friend.

"Oh?" Will raised his eyebrows, "Who?"

She gave him a look before shaking her head and simply said, "Kurt."

"Kurt?" Will echoed, his eyes going wide, "You…ran into Kurt McVeigh at Bellini's."

Diane rolled her eyes, "Yes, Will, I ran into _Kurt_ at Bellini's."

The emphasis she put on the name of her former lover told Will she had not quite forgotten his little remark from the day before about her inability to say the man's name but he chose to ignore that. Instead, he sat forward in his seat, clasping his hands together in front of him and rested his elbows on his knees.

"And you were with Christopher Drake," Will prodded along.

"Yes," she said woodenly.

"And Kurt was with…"

"I don't know," she shrugged but he gave her a look and she rolled her eyes again, "He was with a woman."

"Oh," Will said after a beat, unsure of what to say. Girl talk was not one of his strong points, but he couldn't deny he'd walked himself right into this one since he was pretty sure he'd set this thing in motion without actually meaning to. "I didn't think Kurt would be a Bellini's kind of guy,"

Diane uncrossed her arms and her left hand began twisting the ring she wore on her right, "He likes Italian food."

Will nodded, "So…he was on a date."

"Maybe…I don't know," she shrugged, "I didn't ask."

"And you were…?"

"Not," she said, though it was too quick.

Will's eyes drifted to the flowers, "Who are they from?"

She chewed the inside of her cheek, "Christopher."

"Ah," Will nodded, "Did he know who Kurt was?"

"No," she shrugged, "But…I told him afterwards. He asked and I didn't feel the need to lie to him."

"How'd he take it?"

"Why should that matter?" Diane frowned, "We weren't on a date and we're not dating, Will. It shouldn't matter to him in any way."

"But those are awfully pretty flowers," Will said with a slight grin, "Not as nice as the roses, but you _like_ lilies."

She frowned, "Well, he doesn't know that. His secretary lucked out."

"How can you be sure it wasn't his choice? Maybe he knows you like lilies," Will said, shrugging. "You two really are just friends?"

Diane gave him a look, "I don't see how that's any of your business."

"You're talking to me," he shrugged, "So technically, I should be allowed knowledge."

"That's your logic?" she smirked, "No."

"Come on," he said, shrugging a little. "I see how I contributed to the problem. I'm willing to help."

"Problem?" she frowned. "It's not a problem…not exactly."

"It's not?"

"No," she said, waving a dismissive hand, "David driving Julius nuts? A little of a problem, considering Julius might just snap and kill him. This…? A silly coincidence."

"Really?" Will raised an eyebrow, "You looked bothered a while ago, you're distracted now. I think this _can _count as a little bit of a problem."

"As valiant as it is for you to accept your role in this, don't," she said simply, trying to seem relaxed now as she waved him away a little, "I was just caught off guard, that's all, although I'm not sure why, considering I knew he would be in the city…"

"But it's not as if you expected to bump into him," Will said, trying to fight logic with logic. "So your surprise _is _understandable."

Diane stared at him for a moment before she groaned, "God," she said, covering her face with one hand, "Since when did my personal life become more important than work? We're supposed to be running a law firm. What the hell are we doing talking about this? Of all things!"

"I'm your pseudo girlfriend for the day," Will shrugged, "It's a first for me, but I think I'm doing okay."

"This is pathetic," she mumbled. "I'm a grown woman, what the hell am I doing?"

"It's understandable," Will chuckled a little, "You ran into your ex while he was out with someone who could or could not have been his date in a nice restaurant while you were on a none-date-dinner-date with a guy who is obviously interested in having a real date with you." He shrugged, "I can see how that can make you feel…bothered."

"I'm not _bothered_," she said, removing her hand from her face and turning her nose up slightly, "At least, not by that. What bothers me is why we're talking about my personal life. If anything, _you_ should be the one in this position right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That you're the one more culpable to getting into situations like this, considering the number of women you date," she pointed out, apparently not quite willing to spare him that day.

"I kind of resent that," he said though he didn't really mean it.

"Really? How is Professor Sadie?" she gave him a look, "I'm sure she's heard of your rendezvous with one of her students…who was she again? I think I've heard whispers about her lineage."

Will grinned, "Touché."

She nodded then got up, "Forget it. This is insane. Last night was a fluke. I have work to do."

Will watched her, smiling to himself, "So…did you talk?"

"We acknowledged each other's presence," she said over her shoulder as she made her way towards her desk. "Not that it could really be avoided…considering we were on our way out when they came in."

He nodded, "Okay…wow, so how awkward was it?"

"Not at all," she said, sliding into her seat and he gave her a look. She glared, "It wasn't."

"I didn't say anything."

"I could hear your mind going," she remarked. "But whatever, Will. Go away. I have work to focus on."

Will nodded, "Okay, but really, you okay?"

She stared at him, "I'm fine, Will. Jesus, you have to be kidding me, right?"

"Yeah, of course," he nodded as he got up, "So…you seeing Drake again anytime soon?"

Diane eyes drifted back to the flowers again, "Yes, I am."

He smiled, "Really?"

She nodded as she looked at him again, "We're having lunch together."

-o0o-

_"What are we really fighting about?" _

Will was beginning to feel like one of those trees woodpeckers perch on.

Another three days later, he found himself in front of an irate blonde again as he stood in the middle of Diane's office. He wasn't sure why, but for some reason she seemed to have decided to pick a fight with him whenever she could. If it wasn't about being bothered, it was about butting in her case. If not that, then biting his head off for being around and of course he knew it was irrational, but even he was trying to be a little more understanding, considering what he knew could be happening in her personal life at the moment.

She wasn't the type to mix work and pleasure, but Will could not fault her if that was happening at the moment. He knew she wasn't the type to deal with things like this often so if she was finding herself unbalanced and unsure, he couldn't blame her. If anything, seeing her go through something like this was a first for him and it was interesting. He didn't even mind helping.

It was interesting to have some sort of proof that even Diane Lockhart wasn't immune to such trivial little problems like relationships and certain entanglements. It made her seem almost normal, which Will thought _was_ kind of nice.

Will also knew Kurt was still in the city through the coverage his case was getting. The news on the television were giving constant updates on the case, his name coming up often not just there but as well as on the papers. It was very high profile and everyone's attention was on it. Will wouldn't be surprised if the whole thing was bothering Diane as well.

Diane wouldn't dare admit it, but she was upset about _something_ at the very least, despite the nonchalance she kept trying to pass off as genuine. She'd done a good job of making her underlings think she was just caught up in the case, but Will knew better.

Watching as she paced in front of him, clearly agitated while he remained standing, he only realized then that he couldn't really quite point out exactly what they were supposedly fighting about now. He checked his phone, noting the time and turned to his partner again who was still just as irate as he'd last looked at her before getting lost in his thoughts.

"Diane?"

"What?" she snapped, rearing towards him with an angry look on her face.

"What are we fighting about?"

"Are you kidding me?"

He shook his head, "No. We've been fighting so much about so many things, I think I lost track."

She glared at him for a moment and seemed to think about whether or not she should shout at him more or not before shaking her head, suddenly appearing resigned, "God, Will…honestly."

His eyes followed her as she sat behind her desk, seating herself with her usual grace before sitting back and looking up at the ceiling. Will nodded wordlessly, taking a seat as well, "This is not our best week."

Diane sighed loudly, "I think that's due to me."

"You're stressed, that's normal," Will shrugged, "Just a bad week."

"I hate this," she muttered, "In the span of one week, I've gone from a sane lawyer to an absolute mess."

"Not really," he said, "Your class action's going really well. And before you ask, yes, I've been keeping tabs on you and your case."

She nodded, "Of course. So work's fine, but everything else…" she shook her head, "It's all up in the air. I'm surprised you haven't been fighting back as much."

He shrugged, "You wanted me to so I didn't. I knew if I started granting your every whim, I'd be spoiling you. Seemed to work, right?"

"That's questionable," she smiled though she kept her eyes on the ceiling, "I'm not this kind of woman, Will. What the hell happened?"

"It's just a bad week," he said, shrugging, "Besides, I know what's been going on in the city. That case is all over the place."

He didn't have to say what case or who he was talking about and she let him know she understood by nodding her head, "I noticed."

"You got plans tonight?"

She shrugged, "Christopher was talking about…oh, who cares?"

"Are you guys…getting serious?" he asked, easily slipping into girlfriend mode. He should be unnerved but he wasn't, surprisingly. She had talked him through the ordeal with Patrick, he figured it was only fair to switch places now.

It was so Sex and the City—not that he'd admit he even knows that show—and it was fine. He knew Diane wouldn't be stuck in this loop for long anyway. She'd get sick of it and do something, if not, then pretend the problem didn't exist altogether until it went away. It was unhealthy, but it worked for her.

"He's a nice man," she said, looking at him then, "I don't know."

"Well, he seems to be sticking around," he said as he took the seat in front of her desk again, as was becoming the norm for the two of them with these types of conversations. It was like pseudo therapy in her own office.

"Yes, that's true," Diane nodded, "I stood him up last night but he seems to be looking forward to seeing me tonight. I'm not sure if I want to go."

"Standing him up again?" Will smirked, "That's not the Diane I know."

"That seems to be the general opinion at the moment," she muttered, "Christopher…he _is_a good man."

"Yes," he nodded. "We established that already."

"And his plans do sound lovely," she said slowly then looked at him, "Am I insane?"

"That usually depends, but if you're asking if you're insane to consider going out with this guy for real?" he grinned, "Nah. He seems like a good guy."

Diane nodded, "True."

"And he picks nice flowers," Will pointed out, earning himself a smile from her.

"Another truth," she nodded again, "And then there's…"

Diane stopped, tilting her head sideways as her eyes fell to the floor, for a moment losing herself in her thoughts. Will watched her, knowing well enough that whatever she was going to say, she'd finished in her mind and she was most likely weighing things on her own already. He kind of hoped he was privy to what she could be thinking, but he knew well enough he was in no position to push.

It was already a miracle she was even letting him in on what was happening with her and Christopher Drake, to have her share whatever more was too much already. Will knew Diane's boundaries and her comfort zone could only extend so much, even when it came to him.

He waited until she finally looked at him again, gracing him with yet another smile, this time one that actually seemed genuine as he saw the worry fade from her features. Whatever she must have been thinking about, she had obviously worked past already. He hoped she'd reached some form of decision.

"I think I'll be leaving early today," she said, sounding completely ambiguous though Will could guess that was probably how she intended to come across.

He nodded, "Not a problem. Cary and Alicia are working on the class action, they'll survive without you."

"Yes," she nodded, "They're playing nice too."

"Yeah," Will nodded, "Need help making reservations?"

Diane chuckled, "Please, Will, don't think you're the only one with a pull in this city. Give me some credit."

Will chuckled as well, "Of course, silly me."

"Yes, silly you," she said dryly though she was obviously teasing then she grew a little serious, "Listen, about this week—"

"Nah, forget it," he said, waving his hand as he stood up, "Just say you owe me a drink and we're even."

Diane smiled, "Fine."

He was heading out before he felt his phone vibrating, letting him know he had a new message. He glanced down at his phone, a slow smile spreading across his face as he quickly read the message.

"Oh wait…" he stopped, turning to face her again and giving her a mischievous smile, "I think I need a favor after all."

She raised an eyebrow at him, amused. "What?"

"Remember that shop with that woman…that friend of yours?"

"I'm going to need a little more than _shop with that woman friend _of mine, Will," she couldn't help the playful rolling of her eyes. "Big city, lots of woman friends _with_ shops."

"That girly shop you like," he pointed out, "The one with the shoes and all those expensive crap. Oh! The one you like going to on Sundays."

"Ah," she nodded, "That same shop where you insisted you had to buy that present for…Tina? Tanya?"

"Terri," he grinned when she rolled her eyes at the name, "Yeah, that one…I'm going to need help again."

She rolled her eyes, "Another Will? Whatever happened to that sports writer? She was cute."

"It _is_ for the sports writer," Will said, shrugging, "We broke up but...we might get back together."

Diane smiled, "Really."

"Nothing set in stone, but help, okay?"

She smirked, "Fine. I knew there was going to be some sort of payment for this week."

"Hey, it's not that bad," he said, "You like shopping."

"But not with you in tow," she pointed out, "Now go, please. I need to get out early."

"Going," Will said, heading out once again, "Thanks again, though."

"For what?"

"Making me feel like your gay friend!"

"You're welcome," she called, after him. "Add shopping with me and your experience is complete!"

Will waved over his shoulder without looking at her, laughing as he went on his way.


End file.
